San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-03-07

then, Height Gretaln escapes him al
most like a yell, as for one brief mo-
ment his senses refuse to credit the ey-
idence of his eyes. "Greta-welll mar
wells will never ceasel How in the
name Of all that's wonderful, child,
came you herey"
But there was no immediate response,
and Dick, perhaps, neither expected nor
desired one. At any rate, he simply
turned his prisoner right-about face,
and, without relinquishing his hold Of
her slender arm, marched her quickly,
silently, back along the terrace they had
but just traversed in far different or
der. Then he lifted her bodily in
through the library window, jumped
after, closed the sash, led the prisoner
across the room, flung himself heavily
into the elbow-chair, and then, after a
moments necessary interlude to recoy-
er breath. steadily regarding the child
he questioned:
SHOW, Greta, tell me truthfully-how
came you herel"
But Greta fell suddenly prone on her
knees on the great bear-skin rug, and
covering her small white face with both
numbed hands, began sobbing bitterly,
though in q subdued monotone as
though her very heart must break.
Under this new phase of circum-
stances, which materially altered the
complexion of affairs, Dick was vaguely
conscious of a sensation akin to abso-
lutte despair; he allowed the child to
sob unrestrainedly for some minutes,
and then said gently:
"Greta, am not angry with you, but
cease crying, and tell me truthfully
what has brought Won herepn
The culprit vouchsafed no reply,
whereupon counsel for the prosecution
saw fit to vary the form of interrOga-
ton.
"Tell me, Greta, when did you leave
Piccadillyp"
Then, after a momentary hesitation,
Greta drew her ragged sleeve across her
face. gulped down an obstinate lump in
her throat, and looking up with fearless
eyes. answered steadily:
Zoos IL lad noa mind to-t'go long
o. tn peeler! 1t wur all long o. that as
II guy Margot tn slip, whin she wur
doom. | tell't yer so, an'-an' 1 niver
meant t. 'bide i yer 'ouse, waitin' on
i'm; an so II jist skedaddled
"But you offered no protest made
no manner Of dissent to my pro-
pOsalp"
The child shook her head doggedly,
having recourse in this emergency to
the mastication of the knuckle of her
right fore-fnger.
"Nal'' she opined after a long
pause; "cos else yer'd ha' madden me
watch'dl"
Dick with difficulty restrained ris-
ing inclination to laugh; he found the
cuteness of the prisoner at the bar in
finitely amusing.
but how came you to Burnham of
all good placesp l thought you spoke
of making your way back down the
and the Italian white-mice man.
grammep"
'Ha! that wur afoor, yeer seel"
"AfOor WHAT"
"Afoor I'd knowed you-afoor yer'd
been good t. mel''
"But what difference did that make?'
enquired Dick, considerably mysti-
"Weel, yer said as 'ow 700 was COM
in t. Burnham, an so-an' So" She
hesitated, looking up shyly into the
young mans face.
"Ye-es!" he assented vaguely; land
So"
$50 thought as I'd jist COON along
an all. I'D ma mind to loosen sight
on YER" and as this confession passed
her childish lips, Greta hung her head
with coy and shamefaced air which
might have done credit to Belgravian
belle.
"Greta, you can't mean that" ex-
claimed Dick, infinitely touched; twas
it really, therefore, you set out for
Burnham? And how on earth did you
arrive therep"
"Yer tell't t. other gents" began
Greta eagerly, treasured by Dicks
kindly tone. "as 'ow yer'd mind t.
drive across t. common, an Margot an
me, we kpow'd tn Burnham road wull.
So II start'd off at once, afore vera
good four hours; an l know'd deal o.
short cuts, as tn cabbies an theer oss-
es can't go; so I'd gotten over tn COM
mon, an on t. tn crossroads, long afoor
700 coom'd along, an setten'd me
down T. rest"
"But how did you get anything to
eatp" questioned Dick, aghast. 81
wonder you did not perish of cold!"
"I'd sight o. siller tn gents guy me;
l changd some as COON along. Not
tn thrippenny-bit," she added eagerly.
II gotten i'm safe enowl"
well, and then you rested at the
cross-roads-bu after thatp"
"Afther that, SEEM that as yer wur
over long i coomin', whin tn storm
COON on, was frighted like, an shell
tered bit; an thin-an' thin"
"Ye-es," prompted Dick, land then
-pn
Thin setten'd off t meetin' tn cab
by, an foound yer over-tOorn'dr'
The child's eyes grew wide and round
at the mere recollection of that nights
disaster, as she spoke.
"Welll"-Dick's voice was almost i'm
patient now with keen anxiety to ar
rive at the truth, which he scarce knew
now to conceal-"why did you not
speak to me? What did you dor"
"Sp'ak t. yer, that yer might ha'
handed me over T. tn peelerP Ma, not
Greta, I'll promise yer. jist setteH'd
off and ruined II knaw Burnham well),
meanin' T. send soomone T. helpen yer,
but | CHANGED t. meeten tn carriers
cart, so jist send 'em on an all; an
follered, too" she added, nOdding her
small head sagely, ST see as 'ow they
coOmd."
"And later, Greta, what made you
peer in between the vicarage shutters;
and why did you make off when 1 ran
out at the doorp"
81" Again the child hung her
II. So.